Anime to Supplement Your Japanese Studies - Nov 2018

Last month we published a list of eight different anime that you can use to help supplement your Japanese studies. And apparently, you loved it so we’re going to do it again! Here is a list of MORE anime you can use to supplement your Japanese language skills. Soreike! Anpanman (それいけ！アンパンマン) First appearing as a series of children’s books in 1973 (which ran all the way until the author’s death in 2013), Anpanman made his debut as an anime aimed at young children in 1988. Since that time, it has gone on to produce over a dozen movies with the most recent one, Soreike! Anpanman Kagayake! Kurun to Inochi no Hoshi, premiering in Japanese theaters on June 30, 2018. As with most of the other series that have appeared in this article series, you won’t be getting a masterpiece of the medium when you watch this but rather basic listening comprehension skills.

Chirubii (チルビー)

This is another children’s show, however, don’t expect a ton from this series. It has very simple animation (it’s more of a picture book that comes with audio) but will still aid you in your studies with very simple Japanese that even beginners can follow.

Sazae-san (サザエさん)

You want to talk about One Piece having lasting power? It’s got nothing compared to this series! First premiering in 1969, Sazae-san has been running steadily ever since with over 3,000 EPISODES to date! Based off a manga which ran from 1946 to 1974, this series follows a family’s daily lives in the suburbs of Japan.

Crayon Shin-chan (クレヨンしんちゃん)

Another series based off a manga that has a long history, Shin-chan is about a troublesome youth who just wants to have fun but in the process creates nothing but trouble for his parents and teachers. Since it’s debut in 1992, the series has aired over 800 episodes and has launched 26 movies (the most recent of which premiered in Japanese theaters in April 2018). One word of warning: Shin-chan is a very rude little boy so you would be wise to NOT copy his speech exactly unless you want to come across like a major jerk.

K-ON! (けいおん!)

Finally, we come to a series that ISN’T aimed at children! Admittedly a lot of the vocab you’ll be picking up from this series is music based (it’s about a high school light music club after all) but you never know when those words are going to come in handy in daily conversation! That’s it for this month! Do you have a favorite anime that helped you learn Japanese? Share them in the comments and let’s discuss!